As
parents, we spend a lot of time thinking about what our kids eat. It begins
from the very day they are born. Over the course of their childhoods, we
worry whether they are getting enough nutrition, plan and schedule their
meals, and help them develop what we believe to be the best eating habits.

So parents may experience a variety of reactions when their teen suddenly
announces a desire to go vegetarian or vegan. You may be confused as to why
your child has made this choice, concerned for their health and nutrition,
or angry at what might seem like a judgment on the eating habits you’ve
taught them or the way you choose to eat yourself. You may feel frustrated
at what may seem like yet another teenage rebellion. All of these are normal
reactions. But despite these feelings, why should you support your child’s
desire to “go veg”?

Today, we spend a good deal of effort teaching our teens that their
bodies are their own. We teach them that no one has a right to touch them in
a way that makes them uncomfortable; we teach them that real friends don’t
pressure use drugs or alcohol. Essentially, we teach them that they have the
right to control what happens to their bodies and to say “no” to what they
feel is wrong for them. Ask yourself, so long as your child’s dietary
choices are healthy and safe, would it not undermine that message to insist
they put what foods you choose into their bodies, not what they choose?
Isn’t that sending mixed signals?

But, you may ask, is a vegan or vegetarian diet actually safe and
healthy? You’ll be relieved to know that according to the Academy of
Nutrition & Dietetics - the largest organization of nutrition professionals
in the world - a vegetarian or vegan diet is safe and appropriate for people
in all stages of life, from infancy to adulthood. In fact, they note that
not only are these diets “healthful” and “nutritionally adequate," they “may
provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain
diseases.”

Certainly, as they point out, a vegan or vegetarian diet must be
“appropriately planned.” But that planning is not as difficult as you may
fear. Contrary to what you may have heard, it is easy to get enough protein,
as well as most vitamins and minerals, from everyday foods. The Physician’s
Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has terrific advice on planning a
healthy vegan or vegetarian diet for children of all developmental stages.

Moreover, today it is easier than ever to be a vegan or vegetarian. Most
grocery stores carry vegan staples like almond milk, soy yogurt, or veggie
burgers. And many of the foods your teen may already eat - from cornflakes
to cookies, from soup to snacks - may be “accidentally vegan.” Most
restaurants have vegetarian options on their menus, and many can be made
vegan simply by saying “hold the cheese.” Many colleges today are even going
vegan-friendly!

So what can you do to support your vegetarian or vegan teen? Here are
some important guidelines.

1. Talk to your child about why they’ve made this decision.

Most kids go veg for reasons of conscience.
Frequently, they’ve realized for the first time that the animals they
visited at the petting zoo are the same kinds of animals that end up on
their plates -- or have seen videos documenting the conditions in factory
farms. While you may not personally have an ethical concern about eating
animals, shouldn’t we encourage our children to explore ethical issues as
they mature and live by the standards they believe to be right? Each of us
surely wants to see our children grow into adults with integrity and the
courage to stand up for what they believe.

However, it’s possible that your child might be going
veg for the wrong reasons: as a fad diet, to impress someone they have a
crush on, or on a whim - without giving nutrition much thought. It’s
important that you make sure they’ve thought the decision through, and are
ready to take the additional level of responsibility for their own
nutritional health that going veg can require.

2. Come to an agreement on terms.

Obviously, you’re going to have concerns if a child
who has never willingly eaten a vegetable announces they’re going vegan. Let
your child know that in order to have your support in this choice, they have
to agree to eat a healthy diet - including a variety of fruits, vegetables,
grains, beans, and nuts - and to take their vitamins. Do the research
together and make sure you both fully understand how a healthy vegetarian or
vegan eats.

Also, depending on your home environment - who does
the cooking and shopping, for example - you may need to come to an agreement
on how much responsibility your child will have to take for preparation of
their own meals. A vegetarian or vegan can often share many of the same
dishes with the rest of the family, eating the side dishes that are prepared
or taking out a serving of a main dish before meat is added. But come to an
agreement about what will happen when the family is eating something that
your veg kid won’t eat. Consider school lunches as well, and whether
appropriate options are available, or if your child will have to pack a
lunch.

3. Monitor your child’s health.

During routine physicals, remind the pediatrician of
your child’s dietary choices. When doing blood tests, the doctor may choose
to check your child’s levels of certain vitamins or minerals that may be of
greater concern in vegetarian or vegan people, such as iron, and vitamins D
and B12. For most people, a daily multivitamin combined with a healthy diet
including fortified foods (such as cereals, breads, and non-dairy milks) is
enough to meet their needs for these vitamins and minerals, but it’s good to
check and make certain your child is getting enough of them.

Between physicals, make sure that your child is
eating sufficient calories. Vegetarian and especially vegan foods tend to be
lower in calories, and some people may need to increase the volume of food
they eat in order to take in enough. If your child lacks energy, seems
fatigued, or loses weight uncharacteristically, consult with their
pediatrician, but they may simply not be eating enough.

If your child is having difficulty meeting their
nutritional requirements, most insurance companies will pay for a
consultation with a registered dietician. These nutrition experts will be
able to help your teen come up with a plan for meeting their needs.

4. Refrain from teasing.

You’ll be hard pressed to find a vegetarian or vegan
adult who doesn’t occasionally get frustrated with teasing from well-meaning
family and friends about their food choices. But teens may be less equipped
to handle the razzing. Whether it’s trying to tempt them to eat foods they
no longer eat, or silly jokes about the poor broccoli they’re “killing,”
your kids are likely to receive some teasing from their schoolmates, peers,
and even siblings for being different. Make home a supportive environment
where they can feel comfortable with their choices. (It may help to have
siblings involved in your discussions from the beginning, so they understand
why their brother or sister is making this change and what it will involve.)

5. Be an advocate for your child.

There are occasions that can be difficult for a
vegetarian or vegan child to navigate alone: parties, field trips, family
holidays, and other everyday events where their food choices may become an
issue. Depending on your child’s personality, they may have a hard time
speaking up or planning ahead to make sure they will be able to comfortably
enjoy events where food is involved. Encourage your child to ascertain ahead
of time whether veg-friendly food will be available, and to plan to bring
their own if it is not.

Raising a happy, healthy vegan teen does take a little bit of adjustment,
not just on your child’s part but on yours as well. But the benefits are
many: your child will likely become more open to trying new foods, be more
conscious of their health and nutrition, become more sensitive to social and
environmental issues, and may avoid many diet-related illnesses later in
life. Plus they’ll develop the strength of character that comes from
following their conscience, and the confidence that comes from knowing they
have the support of loving parents. And isn’t that what we all want our
children to have?

More Online Resources for Parents:
The Vegetarian Resource Group
Vegetarian Kids, Teens, and Family
http://www.vrg.org/family/kidsindex.htm

Also remember to check out TDIV's vegan recipes
http://www.thisdishisvegetarian.com/search/label/no%20meat%20zone

That rare and elusive species known as the native Floridian, Kasey is
passionate about protecting other endangered creatures. She lives by the
principle “compassion and crochet for all,” and enjoys teaching others –
including her husband of 20 years and two beautiful children – the benefits
of cruelty-free eating by feeding them tasty vegan treats from her kitchen.
Contact Kasey at kasey@thisdishisveg.com.

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